So Saints are now ND1 champions! Number one target for the season has been achieved with four games still to play. Jim is quoted as saying "now we can have some fun". Well I'm not quite sure what that means, but if the squad have been out celebrating a bit too heavily this past week and preparations for this weekend are not to the highest standard, Saints unbeaten record this season could be in jeopardy. Nottingham is not to be taken lightly.

Prior to our relegation I don't think I was alone in my ignorance of the history of our fellow ND1 clubs. Little did I realise just how many of these clubs had seen better days and were steeped in a proud rugby history, that included many past fixtures against Northampton Saints. Nottingham is one of these clubs. Thought to have been formed as early as 1877 former teams have paraded past internationals that include such famous names as Dusty Hare, Rob Andrew, Brian Moore, Chris Oti and a certain Dorian West who scored a try against Saints back in the mid nineties! If you want to learn more pop over to their official website that contains a mine of information to satisfy the stattos amongst you. To whet the appetite here's a link to the past head to heads with Saints:  http://www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/teams/saints.pdf

But what of the current squad? As with all the ND1 squads I do not possess a detailed knowledge of all the players but this is a squad to be treated with the highest respect. In our earlier meeting this season at Meadow lane (Notts County's ground) we were run very close indeed.  The final score was 10-16 but let us not forget that the score at half time had been 3-13. Nottingham are one of the very few teams to have stayed with Saints in the second half, and indeed as time was running out they were pressing to improve that result amid scenes reminiscent of the last few minutes of an  FA Cup giant killing act more familiar to their landlords. No doubt the dire weather conditions and the fact that the Nottingham Cheerleaders would probably have outplayed the Saints lineout on that day contributed to the close scoreline, but I for one was very pleased to come away with the win that day. In my view it is the nearest we have come to defeat this season. 

Currently Nottingham sit third in the table, but with the same number of points (101) as Exeter. This is the first time Nottingham have reached 100 league points and I feel that they will add a few more before the season is finished. Their last outing may have been a disappointing 26-12 win at home over Launceston, but you have to go back to the 19^th January to find their last league defeat, going down 22-10 away to fourth placed Doncaster.  At the beginning of the season all the talk was of Exeter and Cornish Pirates being our main opposition, however I believe it could well be Nottingham who finish second in the table when the fat lady warbles. 

The team hasn't been announced at the time of writing but last time out it looked like this (substitutes in brackets):

Backs: Jackson; Savage, Molenaar (Nirmalendran), Smith, Dodge; Taylor (Thompson), Pilgrim (Usasz); Forwards: Hopkins (Parr), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Rouse, Raven (Morley), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Stannard.

With the squad of 33 seemingly having no serious injuries I expect it to look pretty similar although coach, Glen Delaney has said that as the season draws to a close a few niggling injuries may mean he'll have to rest some players.

Player to watch

Nottingham have signed outside half Tim Taylor for the remainder of the season. He started his career with Leicester Tigers where he was a member of the Academy and represented England at U21 level. He then moved to New Zealand where he was part of the Canterbury Crusaders wider Super 14 squad.
He returned to England and joined Premiership club Saracens as a replacement for injured Scottish international Ross Laidlaw.

I would also keep an eye on Luke Sherriff. If Saints are going to take some souvenirs with them when they return to the premiership, this feisty openside could well be on the shopping list.

What about Saints?  

Well, I don't actually expect this squad to take their eye off the ball this Saturday. I believe that they now wish to finish the season unbeaten just as we, the supporters, do. I also believe that in Jim and Doreen we now have a very professional and highly focussed management team. They will wish to maintain the momentum leading towards the cup final and will certainly see losing a match at home as unthinkable.

I therefore think that the starting XV against Nottingham will be the same as last week. This squad have shown that they can now master all weather conditions and the lineout is much improved since we last played Nottingham. If the weather is as predicted it will keep the score lower, but with the pressure off I can see Saints getting better by the match. Saints by 15.